It's Not Easy To Be Me
by JenniferR.Song
Summary: Danny decides to sign up for the annual talent show at Casper High. His talent? Singing! Oneshot. Not related to 100 Years though.


Hey, it's another songfic oneshot. Mariyh was bugging me about this one before I started typing up any dark stories. She just wouldn't shut up. (Confused? See my profile.) I hope this one does as well as _100 Years_. They're not related fics though. Quick note though; I didn't want to update my profile with such a tiny piece of info: The movie release date of _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince_ has been set at November 21, 2008, 16 months after _Order of the Phoenix_. Now, onto the reason you're here.

Disclaimer: This is my story, but, alas, the characters are not mine. The song isn't even mine. The group Five for Fighting and John Ondrasik own _It's Not Easy To Be Me_. Yes, the same group that did _100 Years_. What can I say? I love both of these songs so much.

Summery: Danny decides to sign up for the annual talent show at Casper High. His talent? Singing!

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"Hey, look!" shouted Tucker to his two best friends. "They're having the annual talent show next Friday at 7:00. You wanna sign up?"

Remembering the disaster of the beauty pageant, Sam said, "I don't think so."

Danny, on the other hand, was curious. Before Sam and Tucker could object, he had already put his name down.

"Danny, are you crazy?" asked Sam.

"Nope," he said with a smile.

"Well, can you at least tell us what you're gonna do?" Tucker asked.

"No way," said Danny.

"Pleeease?" wheedled Tucker.

"No, and that's final. You'll just have to wait till next Friday to find out."

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The day of the talent show arrived and found Sam and Tucker waiting in the auditorium for the show to start. Danny had somehow gotten them, and his family, front row seats.

The talent show progressed rather fast. Paulina's talent was, of course, cheerleading. Dash demonstrated a perfect football play. Kwan recited a poem he had made up. Valerie did some of her karate moves. When it was Danny's turn, he had a microphone in his hands. He made a motion to someone off stage and piano notes on a tape started playing. Danny began to sing in a high tenor voice:

_I can't stand to fly. _

_I'm not that naïve._

_I'm just out to find,_

_The better part of me._

_I'm more than a bird,_

_I'm more than a plane,_

_I'm more than some pretty face beside a train,_

_And it's not easy to be me._

Danny took a breath, hoping he didn't start crying with the next verse:

_I wish that I could cry,_

_Fall upon my knees,_

_Find a way to lie_

_About a home I'll never see._

_It may sound absurd, but don't be naïve,_

_Even heroes have the right to bleed,_

_I may be disturbed, but won't you concede,_

_Even heroes have the right to dream, and_

_It's not easy to be me. _

Danny took a breath and his voice grew louder on the next verse:

_Up, up, and away, away from me,_

_Well, it's all right. You can all sleep sound tonight._

_I'm not crazy, _(He cocked his head slightly)_ or anything._

Again, he took a small breath:

_I can't stand to fly,_

_I'm not that naïve,_

_Men weren't meant to ride,_

_With clouds between their knees._

_I'm only a man in a silly red sheet,_

_Digging for kryptonite on this one way street._

_Only a man in a funny red sheet,_

_Looking for special things inside of me,_

Now his voice was at his loudest as he said the final chorus:

_Inside of me, inside of me, _

_Yeah, inside of me, inside of me_

_I'm only a man in a funny red sheet_

_I'm only a man looking for a dream._

_I'm only a man in a funny red sheet_

_And it's not easy, ooh, ooh, ooh, _

As the music faded away, in almost in a whisper, Danny sang softly, only his voice, no instruments:

_It's not easy to be me. _

The song ended with a few high notes on a piano. Shocked, Sam and Tucker remembered to stand and clap along with the rest of the auditorium. Danny turned a slight shade of red before bowing and walking off stage.

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Tucker and Sam pushed through the crowd to get backstage, where they found Danny sitting in a chair with his head in his hands.

"Danny, that was great!" said Sam. His head popped up at her voice.

"Yeah, man, I was searching for the tissues," said Tucker.

"I take it you two were surprised," said Danny. They noticed his voice sounded strained.

"Hey, Danny!" Jazz had finally managed to push her way through the crowd. They could see Jack and Maddie Fenton trying to get though without Jack accidentally crushing someone.

Jazz grabbed her brother and hugged him tightly.

"Uh, Jazz – can't – breath," he choked out.

Jazz let him go, asking "Why did you choose that song, Danny?"

Danny smiled. "I heard that song on the radio a couple of weeks ago, and I really liked it. The talent show allowed me a chance to let my feelings out about you-know-what without actually saying so."

They nodded their heads. Ever since Danny had gotten his ghost powers, he had always felt like Amity Park was his to protect.

Finally, Jack and Maddie got though the crowd. Maddie hugged her son. For the second time, Danny was left breathless from the squeezing.

"Mom–" he choked out.

"That was so beautiful!" she said, letting him go. Jack thumped Danny on the back, which nearly sent him sprawling.

"Good work, son!" he boomed.

Sam piped up, "So, who's up for ice cream?"

Danny and Tucker laughed. "Count us in," Danny said, slightly hoarse. They left for the nearest ice cream parlor, the other Fentons hurrying to keep up in their wake.

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I hope this one was as good as _100 Years_. Over 200 hits and still going! I listened to this song five times to make sure I had all the words right. I won't know unless you press that little button down there. So please R&R. Thank you, and see you around!


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